


Master Malfoy in Hufflepuff

by pravenclaw



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-17 08:53:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11272122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pravenclaw/pseuds/pravenclaw
Summary: It comes as a great shock to many when 11-year-old Scorpius Malfoy is sorted into Hufflepuff. Those closest to him, however, are not surprised in the slightest.





	Master Malfoy in Hufflepuff

Scorpius Malfoy brought the Sorting Hat down on his head slowly. He took a deep breath and waited.

‘Hmm, yes,’ said the hat. ‘This one feels different. A quiet reservedness, not at all like the Malfoys I’m used to. A warm, loving heart with bravery right at its core. Yes, I see it. Hidden deep, but you know it’s there too. And your mind – what a mind – a subtle sharpness to it. Pensive. Anything but peaceful. You spend a lot of time in your head, don’t you?’

Scorpius jammed his eyes shut. His heart was hammering in his chest.

‘Those thoughts cloud your ambition,’ continued the hat. ‘Your spirit and talent just about peak through, however. Some may call that resourceful, but it isn’t enough. Anything but cunning, but there is a certain determination there, yes. Your dedication will see you through, Master Malfoy. Tolerant and patient, but kindness will be your flaw. But unafraid to defend yourself and others, I see that.’

Scorpius knuckles turned white as he gripped onto the wooden stool. They’ll be proud of me no matter what, he thought desperately.

‘There we have it then – HUFFLEPUFF!’ said the Sorting Hat, shouting the last word for everyone in the Great Hall to hear. There were many gasps and guffaws from students and teachers alike.

‘A Malfoy in Hufflepuff?’

‘What will his father say, I wonder.’

Scorpius got up from the school and set the Sorting Hat down. He could’ve sworn the hat winked at him, but his head was pounding too loud to care. Everyone was staring at him. Jaws had dropped and everyone looked thoroughly bemused. The Fat Friar was swooping between the thousands of candles in the air, clutching onto his large belly as he went. He was chortling loudly.

Scorpius swallowed and went over to join the Hufflepuff table.

***

Astoria set the letter down carefully on the table in the drawing room and paused. Draco was gazing wistfully over the grounds, admiring the beauty of the flowers and the tall hedges in the distance. He remembered fondly the times as a child when he would spend hours getting lost in the maze they created.

‘It’s here, Draco,’ said Astoria quietly. Her eyes hadn’t left the envelope. She sat and held it in her hands once more. Draco didn’t turn at once, but his shoulders were raised. His hands tightened behind his back.

‘Open it then,’ spat a cold voice over by the fireplace.

Lucius Malfoy lowered his newspaper and glared over at Astoria with his grey sunken eyes.

He had aged badly. Sallow-skinned with a shock of pure white hair, which hung lankly at his shoulders. His pointed face had only grown sharper. Lucius Malfoy looked rather severe, a real shadow of his former self.

‘Draco,’ said Astoria. ‘It’s no mistake. It’s from Hogwarts.’

Draco crossed the room at his wife’s second call. He was visibly shaking. He went and stood by Astoria, who immediately grabbed his hand and held it close to her heart. With her other hand she stroked the pale-yellow envelope.

‘Open – open it,’ stammered Draco.

Astoria did, though her hands were shaking too. She broke the wax seal and quickly removed the parchment within. She unfolded it, smoothing it out before reading. Draco grabbed her hand for support as he too read. They both read it through twice, then thrice, then once more just to make sure. Draco sat down quietly beside his wife.

Lucius began getting to his feet. He couldn’t quite get to his cane quickly enough.

‘So there we have it,’ sighed Astoria.

‘What is it?’ interjected Lucius. His tone was no longer harsh or cold. It was one of fear, of ultimate trepidation. ‘Gryffindor is admirable. Noble even, though of course Slytherin would be the natural fit for a Malfoy and someone of his blood.’

‘It’s not Gryffindor, Father,’ said Draco. He inhaled a large breath.

‘Well Ravenclaw comes as no surprise, does it, Draco? That boy spends far too much time with his head in a book. He always has been a cloud gazer. I’ve told you before, you should’ve stopped that sort of behaviour when it began. Your mother and I, we never –’

‘Scorpius is in Hufflepuff,’ Astoria casually stated. She was smiling widely.

Draco finally breathed out. He laughed and squeezed Astoria’s hand. ‘Not one for tradition our boy, is he?’

‘You’re pleased that my grandson – your son – is in Hufflepuff?’ hissed Lucius. He was furious. ‘This is what I tried to warn you about,’ he snapped. ‘If only you had listened to your mother and I. We tried to advise you, if you let the boy run free, if you didn’t teach him before he went to school. We said he’d turn out like this. And did you listen?’

‘What?’ shouted Draco, getting to his feet. ‘Teach him, the way you and mother taught me, you mean? I honestly thought you’d know better by now.’

Astoria pulled Draco back down into his chair. She was stronger than she looked.

Lucius glowered for a while at his son, then went back to his armchair, stabbing his cane into the rug as he went.

‘Hufflepuff,’ muttered Lucius under his breath. The word seemed to catch in his throat, a real struggle for him to vocalise. ‘The house of untalented, useless nobodies. Never did I think I’d be the one to see the Malfoy line reduced to this.’

‘Hush you,’ said Astoria. She looked over at her father-in-law, her eyes bright and wet with tears. ‘Draco and I couldn’t be prouder.’


End file.
